Rumors about O'Donnell's return to the show have been swirling for several days. Earlier this week, Us Weekly confirmed that the comedian, 52, was in "serious talks" to rejoin the ABC series in a leading role. A source told Us on Tuesday, July 8, that she was "very close to signing."

Fans and former costars had mixed reactions to the reports. Elisabeth Hasselbeck, for one — who famously clashed with O'Donnell during her first tenure on "The View" — told her co-hosts on "Fox & Friends" that the news had "ruined her vacation."

"Here in comes to 'The View' the very woman who spit in the face of our military, spit in the face of our own network, and really in the face of a person who stood by her and had civilized debates for the time that she was there, coming back with a bunch of control ready to regain a seat at the 'View' table," Hasselbeck said of O'Donnell, who ended her contract early because of an on-air fight with the conservative 'Survivor' alum.

Former 'View' co-host Joy Behar fired back, telling CNN that Hasselbeck's comments were "below the belt" and untrue. "Isn't it kind of a nasty thing to say about somebody who basically is a good person?" Behar said on July 9. "To say that she spits in the face of the military, that's a dangerous thing to say about somebody."